The disclosed embodiments relate generally to methods and systems for creating a printed, converted substrate.
When creating a package, greeting card, or other printed substrate that is foldable into a three-dimensional structure, the substrate must be converted by applying one or more scores, slits, creases or perforations along which the substrate can be cut and/or folded. For example, referring to FIG. 1, a cardboard or rigid paper sleeve may be made of a cardboard or heavy paper substrate 10 that is cut along a border (indicated as solid lines 12), and scored along a set of score lines (indicated as dashed lines 14) to form a set of panels or facets 16. When the substrate shown in FIG. 1 is folded along the score lines, a rectangular sleeve is created. Each of the four facets 16 forms one side of the sleeve. FIGS. 2A through 2E show various cutting and scoring combinations that may be used to form various carton structures. In FIGS. 2A through 2E, solid lines represent cuts, and dashed lines indicate score lines.
Score lines are formed by creating an indentation along a line where the substrate is to be folded. In recent years, the use of lasers in scoring processes has been expanding. Laser scoring is the process of focusing a spot of energy to ablate a specified amount of material from the substrate. This creates a channel or groove that provides a relatively uniform line of weakness in the substrate to facilitate folding.
One of the problems with laser scoring processes is that when a laser is applied to a substrate, it removes material and weakens the substrate. In many cases, especially with thinner substrates such as thin cardboard or paper-based materials, the final structural design may be compromised.